I would do it, and not think twice about it. I would probably try to see if I could get away with offering Orlando Calixte and another prospect instead of Mondesi, but that wouldn't be a stopping point.

Thing is, I'm not sure Ventura+Mondesi+Zimmer+Cuthbert would be enough. Stanton's value is, by all accounts, higher than that of Miguel Cabrera when the Marlins traded him, and that is a lesser package than what was given up for Cabrera.

It would leave the Royals pitching depth slim after the 2014 season, but you know what? Acquire Stanton, win some real games, and you might actually have a chance to re-sign James Shields after 2014.

Even without Ventura and Zimmer, the Royals' farm system would not be devoid of pitching talent.

That's probably STILL a top 1/2 farm system. And you don't have many needs at the MLB level until the 2015 season. 1B, LF, CF, RF, 4th OF, C, SS, all have clear options in place, as does DH. YOu're set in the bullpen for quite a while in terms of major pieces. 2B, 3B, and SP are your only potential questions.

Emptying out the farm system for young studs like Stanton with years of control remaining is not a bad thing, at all.

Gordon
Hosmer
Butler
Stanton

would be a pretty strong top 4 and create a LOT of runs. Stanton would make the Royals a legitimate contender in 2014, even if they can't bring back Ervin Santana (they'll have enough cash to bring in a quality SP, though). And if this team starts winning... and filling the ballpark... who knows what happens in terms of payroll?

Lot of question marks there. Best-case scenario would be Manaea getting healthy and zooming through the minors, because he has legitimate TOR ability. Almonte also has premium shelf ability, and Lamb did at one time (he has shown signs here and there of getting all the way back but hasn't done it yet). The rest of those guys are more back-end starters.

Stanton has transformational potential for this team. That's why the cost is so high and that's why so many teams will chase him. But if he were brought in and this was the 2014 lineup:

You're talking about a real, legitimate, playoff-caliber lineup. They'd need to find a lefthanded stick at 2B that can legitimately hit 6, which makes Johnson a PERFECT fit. If moustakas doesn't show signs of life this year, you also need a solution there, which Johnson could be (insurance for suck from Moose). If Moustakas did show life, you're probably looking at him in the 6 hole as a beginning-of-year "plan."

Gordon and Stanton controlled through 2016
Hosmer, Cain and Moustakas through 2017
Butler through 2015
Perez and Escobar through 2019

You'd have Bonifacio and Calixte and Dozier probably knocking on the door in 2015.

Ultimately, it probably makes too much sense. ANd the Royals probably don't have enough NEAR-MLB talent to get it done.